Dinner under the glow of a gorgeous sunset

Last Friday, it was my wife's birthday.

I had spent the days leading up to the big day mulling over the perfect restaurant for us. I did have some ideas. One good place to get ideas would always be the Sunday Times. Sometimes friends could give you some good recommendations too.

But it didn't take me long to make up my mind. I decided to bring my wife to this splendid restaurant called Il Lido, at Sentosa Golf Club. Just to make sure I get my preferred seat, I made the call about a week in advance.

This restaurant is renowned for its enchanting ambience and an idyllic view of the western sea. I was sure my wife would fall in love with this restaurant.

And of course, my wife looked resplendent on the evening. We were all set to go. I couldn't help but to add in a bit of suspense though - she had no idea where I was going to bring her!

Once we stepped into the restaurant, we received a warm welcome from the waiters and waitresses. We got a good table, exactly what I had specified in my reservation.

The champagne, the delectable main course and the sinfully rich dessert do not make simply make it a good dinner. The view was almost breathtaking. The golden sky contrasted beautifully with the serene blue sea, and though the sun was blocked by the trees, you can't help but enjoy the moment and be immersed in the peace that envelopes you.

Which is why, given a choice between a quiet spot on the beach or a shopping centre, my choice is quite obvious.

To top it all, the staff came to our table, with a birthday cake in their hands, and they sang the birthday song to my wife. Now, even I didn't see that one coming. It took us a couple of moments to get over the surprise before I joined in the chorus and sang along gleefully.

Through it all, we had a lovely chat through the evening. It's funny, we never run out of things to say. Of course, we have our quiet moments, but it's a comfortable type of silence which we acknowledge is a part of our relationship. But we know it's based on a solid foundation on trust and mutual appreciation of each other.

As we left the restaurant and drove back to mainland Singapore, I was quite certain that we would come back to this restaurant in the future.

To my wife, Siang, I am blessed to have you in my life. Happy birthday!

Childhood lit once again

"Good evening, ma'am," Superman said, after rescuing another damsel in distress.

He has such impeccable manners. He has this old American charm about him. His deep blue eyes, soft personality, gentle manners can almost transport us to the old America days where traditional values and etiquette still held sway all over.

And, he has one heck of a tough body. Imagine, all those bullets ricocheting off his chest, when earlier those rounds had ripped apart those hapless police cars. Anyway, the police and their cars frequently get trounced in Hollwood movies. I don't think the real police guys are keen on having their reputation smashed in those movies.

Anyway, I had another lovely evening with my lovely wife. I had just finished coaching the boys in a match at Clementi Sports Hall. Rushed down to Marina Square, played a bit of hide and seek with my wife, before we skipped merrily to the box office to get a couple-seat for the movie. I was really keen on the movie, especially as I still fondly remember watching the original Superman movies (starring the handsome Christopher Reeve). Superman really was a big thing in my childhood. The values he stood for, his humane nature (even though he was really an alien), and his unwavering courage were really admirable.

My wife flashed out this bun from Bread Talk and asked me if I wanted to eat chilli crab. I said, "Huh?" and she wasn't joking. She pulled apart the bun wrapper and revealed a crab - actually it's a bun in the shape of a crab. Really funny. It gets better once you sink your teeth into it. You taste chilli crab. We had a good laugh. At least we didn't have to peel off any shells.

Anyway, talking about Superman and comic book heroes, I have to say that this has been a good year for me. I've managed to catch Superman Returns, The Fantastic Four (on DVD), and X-Men: The Final Stand and I must say I'm really pleased. Makes me want to take out those action figues I still keep in my musty old cupboard and play with them all over again.

Reliving childhood days can actually achieve something remarkable in you - it can energise you and renew your youth. Yes, of course we do get on in terms of age every year, but we certainly can do ourselves a huge favour if we can still keep that child in us in a large corner in our hearts. I think we could all do with a little bit more child-like innocence and easy laughter in our lives. Oh get away from me Cynicism, Pessimism and Indifference!